


Homie Cide

by Itssilverbrich



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Arthur is a good friend, Crack Treated Seriously, Edgeworth needs a vacation, Gen, I am a genius, I can not write trials do not ask me too, Lewey boy is gonna have some trouble once Artie is proven innocent, Lewis Is A Romantic, Lewis decides to sue Arthur for murder, Mystery Is A Good Boy, Vivi Is A Queen, aint got no memory of her boo, can I get a Friendship Pog in the chat, can we get an f for vivi, how has this not been written yet, i have no idea whats going on with shiromori so i aint gonna touch that, i will literally die, it is 130 in the morning and i might just ride this car off the road, it is me clowning around once more not writing any of the works I was supposed to be writing., it was BEGGING to be written, mystery ben made an aa video, pop star + prosecutor, popscecutor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itssilverbrich/pseuds/Itssilverbrich
Summary: Miles Edgeworth dropped his papers, staring up at the phantom before him.The skeleton was clothed in a suit, wreathed in flame. It looked down upon him and said,"How much do your services cost?"
Relationships: Arthur & Lewis & Mystery & Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated), Kidzuki Kokone | Athena Cykes & Odoroki Housuke | Apollo Justice, Mitsurugi Reiji | Miles Edgeworth & Naruhodou Ryuuichi | Phoenix Wright
Comments: 10
Kudos: 75





	1. Yellow, Purple, and Blue

**Author's Note:**

> So.  
> Future, huh?

Of all the things Phoenix Wright planned to deal with today, defending a case where the victim was a ghost everyone could see for once was not one of them.  
Wright’s day started like any other; wake up, get a cup of coffee, put on his trademark blue suit, wake up his daughter, bicycle his daughter to school, embarrass her a little, bicycle to the office.  
  
That’s when the trouble started.  
  
In the office, sitting across from Athena, was a practically furious bluenette, a clearly dazed blonde with a spiky updo, and a dog wearing…. Glasses? Okay, not the weirdest cast he’d ever seen but Athena’s grimace as the blue haired girl seemed to rage quietly in her seat, a clear contrast from her mumbling, out of it companion.  
Apollo had rushed over as soon as he saw the older man, his face pale.  
“Prosecutor Edgeworth needs to speak to you.” Apollo said, glancing behind them at the new trio.  
Phoenix followed his gaze before looking back at Apollo, frowning. He hurried past Apollo to his private office, seeing his little, poor work phone. He picked it up, seeing Edgeworth on hold.  
“Wright, you will not believe what madness I am being forced to deal with,” Edgeworth greeted him with, sounding like he’d just run a marathon. “A literal ghost showed up in my office in a literal blaze of glory and is now paying me in what appears to be diamonds to prosecute for him. Wright, I think I’m going insane, don’t alert my sister.”  
“Well, good morning to you too, Edgeworth,” Phoenix blinked, confused. “A ghost? Like, an actual ghost?”  
“I believe he’s a wraith or whatever,” Edgeworth sighed. “His name is Lewis Pepper and he’s been a missing person for a good year and he wants me to prove he was murdered by what all accounts say are his best friend and I think I finally lost it. Wright, I am getting grey hairs and my hair was already entirely grey.”  
“Oh, wow,” Phoenix winced. “Want me to come over?”  
“.....If you wouldn’t mind…..” Edgeworth muttered quietly into the phone. “When I dedicated my life to the pursuit of truth, I never thought I’d end up here…..”  
With an exhausted farewell and a promise to bring lunch, Phoenix hung up and left his office.  
  
He was met by the sight of Athena near tears and Apollo now attempting to talk to the trio, the humans now reversed in attitude.  
The spiky blonde was panicking while the bluenette was brain dead, her purple eyes shining in the light.  
Phoenix turned an ear to the conversation.  
“...I didn’t even know he was dead! I swear!” the blonde was yelling. He seemed genuinely panicked and it sort of made the defense attorney think of Larry.  
“Mr. Wright!” cried Apollo in relief. “Can you help these people? They have a very…. Unique case they’d like to hire us on.”  
  
….Phoenix didn’t like the sound of that.  
  
The lawyer rubbed his temples as he biked, the package of sushi in his bicycle’s basket bumping as he rode on.  
The blonde’s name was Arthur Kingsman and he was the best friend of the ghost giving Edgeworth a headache.  
He was an inventor and mechanic and had even built his own prosthetic.  
He didn’t seem like a murderer but looks could often be deceiving. He’d have to talk to more people about this case, maybe call up Maya for some help. It had been awhile since Phoenix had seen her, it’d be like old times!  
He skidded to a stop in front of the tall office building, kicking down the kick stand as he hopped off.  
Edgeworth’s office was on the top floor, due to his status as the chief prosecutor. Phoenix found himself often cold in the building of prosecutors but he had a feeling that this chill was abnormally caused.  
He opened the office door and instantly ducked, a purple fireball flying out and slamming against the office wall. Two sets of voices cursed in german.  
Klavier opened the adjacent door, clearly frustrated.  
“Herr Pepper, this is the third time!” the normally glamorous pop star’s fair hair was now a frazzled mess, his eye liner smudged.  
“Now, Mr. Pepper, please, I’d hate to be forced to remove you from this building!” Edgeworth sputtered out, looking like he was one day from his thirty day chip from anger management.  
Phoenix stood back up, pale and significantly less relaxed than when he came in.  
In Edgeworth’s office, quaking beneath the weight of two german super powers, was a skeleton with a purple pompadour, an orange heart locket on its chest, and floating a few inches off the ground.  
“ _Sorry, Prosecutor Gavin, Prosecutor Edgeworth,”_ The skeleton, the aforementioned Lewis Pepper, said sheepishly. “ _Just saw spikes and, well, I panicked…_ ”  
Phoenix smoothed the spikes in his hair, nodding to Klavier before the popsecutor went back into his office.  
“It’s fine, I’ve heard ghosts can get a fair bit of tunnel vision.” Phoenix waved away the issue, much to the charagained opinion of Edgeworth.  
“ _Oh? Have you had much experience with the supernatural or are you just well read?_ ” Pepper asked, looking slightly intrigued.  
“One of my best friends is a spirit medium,” Phoenix laughed, nodding. Pepper perked up. “I actually am used to solving cases with a little supernatural help.”  
Edgeworth huffed.  
“Anyway, Wright, I believe you said you had brought lunch?” Edgeworth butted. “Mr. Pepper, if you would be so kind…?”  
_“Oh? Oh! Yes, yes, I’ll come back later, sorry!”_ the ghost floated towards the door.  
“Oh, hey, Pepper,” Phoenix called back, remembering something. “I’ll need to speak with you later too, I’ve been hired as Kingsmen’s attorney.”  
Instantly, the almost friendly seeming spirit darkened, almost as if he was angry and surprised at the news.  
**_“....Right. Right, a fair trial. I’ll speak to you later, Mr. Wright.”_ ** Pepper muttered with a nod, cupping the orange heart on his chest.  
Phoenix frowned before turning towards Edgeworth, the prosecutor collapsing in his chair.  
“Do I even wanna know?” Phoenix questioned, putting his basket on the table.  
“No, you don’t.” Edgeworth sharply replied, diving for the food.  
  
  
“Are you alright with me asking some questions, Mr. Kingsmen?” Phoenix said to Arthur Kingsmen.  
“Oh, yeah, sure thing, Mr. Wright,” nodded the blonde, looking nervous. If Phoenix hadn’t been alerted that the young man always felt nervous, he would have found that suspicious. “What do you wanna know?”  
“How close were you with Lewis Pepper?” Phoenix started, reaching one hand into his pocket, his thumb brushing against the magatama he owned.  
“Me and Lew? We were best friends! I was out looking for him when, well…..” Kingsmen fiddled with the star pin on his vest, looking down.  
_Nothing. Better ask a different question._ _  
_ “Did you and Mr. Pepper have an argument before his death?” Phoenix leaned back, giving the younger some room.  
“.....No.” Kingsmen hesitated but answered, no locks appearing at his words.  
“You sound uncertain,” Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “Can I ask why?”  
“....I don’t remember the night Lewis disappeared, not all of it, at least,” Kingsmen said. “The doctors say it was trauma related amnesia, since I lost my arm at that time. But they say that about Vivi too….”  
“Miss Yukino?” Phoenix asked. He was going to question her next after all, best to see what she’s about.  
“You can’t ask her anything about Lewis!” Kingsmen suddenly cried, standing in a panic. “It, there’s, it hurts her. To try to remember, please, you can’t.”  
_Truth again… strange…._ _  
_ “I see,” Phoenix leaned forward, Kingsmen sitting down almost embarrassed. “I won’t but you have to tell me all of you remember of that night.”  
“I… I don’t remember. We went out to investigate disappearances at a distant cave. I remember Lewis parking and then….” Kingsmen shook his head, looking sorrowful at his lack of recollection. “Nothing.”  
Across Arthur Kingsmen’s regretful face, there appeared five locks. Two were a vivid red and three were black.  
_Now we’re getting somewhere._


	2. Give Me A Reason To Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial has been going, well, poorly for Lewis.   
> It looks like his killer is gonna get away with it!   
> At least, Lewis can finally see Vivi again.......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY ITS LATE AND I WISH I WAS DEAD, LETS GET THAT BREAD, GAMERS  
> just for the record, I'm going to try to finish my other wips before this one, I mean, I've got two years until the next msa comes out, I'm in no hurry.   
> Feel free to check out my other works, not really MSA but still pretty decent in my humble opinion. :)

The trial had been going well, by most people’s standards and a bit by Phoenix’s too.    
Maya had come to help, most evidence pointed to it being an accident or not Kingsmen’s fault at all. Even Pepper was starting to doubt.    
On the other hand, the deeper Phoenix dug, the more complex this all became.    
He didn’t want to get into it, lest he worsen his already growing headache.  **_  
_ ** After this, he was making Edgeworth take him and Trucy for a vacation.    
  
  
Lewis glared from his place in the stands at Arthur and Wright, the  **traitor** ’s attorney.   
Mr. Wright seemed like a good man, a little foolish, considering he trusted Arthur but good all the same.    
Lewis wasn’t entirely sure why he thought this would work out in his favor. Maybe it was his own foolishness that wanted a reason for his murder.    
He already knew, he already had a reason.    
Arthur was jealous, jealous of him and Vivi, jealous of the light the two’s love carried. Lewis knew that, remembered the hot feeling of Arthur’s gaze on him, remembered the half hearted answers to concerned questions, the  _ feel of Arthur’s hands  _ **_pushing him to his death-_ **

Lewis shook himself free of those memories, reminding himself that he had wanted a fair trial and that meant Arthur had to defend himself to his last cowardly breath.    
So Lewis glared and glowered at Arthur from across the courtroom, watching the el hijo de perra squirm as Prosecutor Edgeworth questioned him.    
His fear didn’t stop him from lying though, the falsehoods coming out of his mouth in drones. How he was able to keep all of it straight, Lewis didn’t know. It was almost impressive.    
Almost. 

  
The trial ended for the day and Lewis’ heart locket pounded at Arthur escaping justice once again. It was already gone on for too long and it was driving him crazy.    
He slinked out, unnoticed by the other watchers, already heading for the small group of Arthur and Phoenix Wright.    
He waited, a quiet spector, from a distance, ready to strike, to make Arthur  _ confess _ when-   
  
Vivi ran past him, a dash of beautiful blue and Lewis Pepper was the lovestruck teenager at the Tome Tomb store looking for more Sailor Moon again.   
The year apart had not changed Vivi Yukino, her hair still cut in that bob, her outfit of blues and whites wrapped around her small but secretly strong form, her bright blueberry eyes shimmering as she spoke to the two spikey haired men.    
If someone asked Lewis Pepper who the most perfect woman in the world was, he’d say his mother. And then he’d say Vivi.    
His heart still beat for her at the end of the day and so, his rage was swept away by his love for Vivi.   
She was an angel, sweet, kind, gentle-   
“Oh, I can not believe that prosecutor, questioning you like that! Like, like you actually could hurt anyone intentionally!” Vivi raged, waving a fist in the air, Mystery huffing beside her.    
“That’s kind of his job, Viv,” Arthur said weakly, raising his hands in a pacifying motion. “I am kind of on trial, remember?”    
Vivi huffed at that, glaring in the direction of the courtroom. Everyone else slowly filed out of the lobby, leaving the small group.    
“I need a minute,” huffed Vivi. “Take Mystery to the car for me?”    
Arthur sighed but nodded, reaching down and picking up the small dog with a strange shudder of apprehension.    
Mystery whined as Arthur took him, the amputee following the still chattering lawyer and paralegal.    
It was just Lewis and Vivi, though she didn’t know it. They stood in silence, Lewis just basking in her presence.    
“I know you’re here.” Vivi’s voice was made of ice, cold and of undeterminable depths, the sort of ice his padres warned him of, the kind that would crack and break, dragging you into icy waters.    
Lewis frowned as he became visible, unsure what such a tone of voice meant, but he shrugged in his head. She probably didn’t recognize him.    
“ _ Hello, Vivi, _ ” Lewis said softly, watching her eyes flare with a mixture of wonder and fear. “ _ It’s been some time. _ ”   
“I’d agree, if I knew who you are,” Vivi said cautiously, keeping a safe distance from the possibly volatile ghost. “Listen, I just want to know what’s your grudge with Artie, because I know he wouldn’t hurt anyone!”   
“ _ What…? Vivi, it’s, _ ” the spirit faltered, looking almost hurt. “ _ It’s me, Lewis. I know it’s been a year or so but I didn’t think I changed my appearance that much…..”  _ _   
_ Vivi frowned.    
“Lew...is? As in, Lewis Pepper? The one Arthur has been looking for?” Vivi stepped closer, now clearly angry. “He’s been looking everywhere for you! The minute he was cleared of the hospital, he threw himself into looking for you! He built himself an arm, he dedicated himself to finding you when everyone believed you were dead! And in return, you accuse him of killing you?!”   
“ _ I don’t know what Arthur told you, Vivi, but it’s all lies! He was jealous, jealous of you and me, jealous of our love! He killed me, to try to be with you!”  _ Lewis trembled, in a concoction of anger and betrayal. “ _ Why are you talking like you don’t know me?! Vivi, please, it’s me, Lewis, you know, your boyfriend! _ ”   
Vivi startled at that and stared up at the taller ghost, searching for something.    
“My...my boyfriend..?” Vivi questioned but stepped closer, allowing Lewis to rest a hand on her check. His boney hand was hot, easily warming her with just his touch.    
“ _ Yes, mi ventisca, _ ” Lewis said softly, his free hand reaching up to grasp his heart. “ _ I’m sorry it took me so long to return to you. _ ”   
He offered his golden heart to the bluenette, her small hands slowly reaching for his heart.   
In Lewis’ mind, the music that always accompanied this crucial moment reached the climax, the moment their love would conquer Arthur’s hate, not even death keeping them apart.    
  
Vivi’s fingers brushed against the locket and her eyes flared a vivid purple, dropping like a puppet cut from its strings.    
Lewis’ eyes widened in horror as she fell, managing to catch her before she completely collapsed, easing her into a sitting position and kneeling before her.    
“ _ Vivi? Mi ventisca? _ ” Lewis waved a frantic hand in front of her face, horrified at her vacant and dead expression.    
“Vivi? You ready to go? Mr. Wright said he’d take us by a noodle shop and introduce us to his daughter, you co-” Arthur stepped, his calm and relaxed body language freezing once he saw Lewis kneeling before a comatose Vivi.    
The ghost stared at his murderer, watching as a cascade of emotions rippled across his thin face; horror, resignation, confusion, and finally, anger.    
“What did you do to Vivi?” Arthur said, his voice the darkest Lewis had ever heard. The taller man dashed to Vivi’s side, whispering things Lewis couldn’t hear as she slowly seemed to come to, nodding and mumbling in reply.    
Arthur eased Vivi to her feet, letting her lean on him. Lewis rose with them, reaching to save his girlfriend from his killer’s grasp.    
Instantly the concern on Arthur’s face morphed into something protective, pulling Vivi to his chest, walking them out of Lewis’ immediate grasp.    
“I can’t believe you, Lewis,” Arthur snarled. “I get hurting me, well, not really, but Vivi? Are you the reason she can barely function if someone mentions you? What did you do to her?”    
“ _ Me? _ ” Lewis recoiled. “ **_Why would I do anything to her?! I love her!_ ** ”   
“I… I don’t know,” Arthur admitted nervously but stood his ground. “But her eyes turn purple and it’s too specific to be anything but magic and your powers are clearly purple themed.”    
Well, when he put it like that….   
No! No, Lewis wasn’t falling for this trap, clearly Arthur was trying to trick him into…. Something, Lewis wasn’t sure but Arthur had tricked him into thinking they were friends for more than ten years, he was sneaky like that.    
“ **_I’m not like you, I wouldn’t hurt someone I say I love._ ** ” Lewis snapped back, towering over them. He noted Arthur clearly being afraid but he steeled himself, holding Vivi closer and stepping back towards the exit.    
“Lewis, you were, are, my best friend,” Arthur started, earning a snort from the wraith. “So if you think I’m guilty, I’m willing to let you believe that and hate me for the rest of my life and your afterlife. But all I’ve got now is Vivi and I am not letting you hurt her. And hearing you, being near you, knowing you’re Lewis Pepper, for some reason, hurts her. And if you can’t control that, then I have to ask you to stay the hell away from my best friend, alright?”   
Lewis went to retort that there was nothing Arthur could do to stop him but he remembered the lengths Arthur went to protect Lewis, someone he secretly hated. How far would he go for someone he loved, even in a twisted sense.    
Arthur, either way, did not wait for a reply or reaction, bustling a coming-to-Vivi out with quiet mutterings.    
  
Lewis frowned after them, once more left behind by those he had loved so hard and for so long.    
  
This time, however, he felt like it was his fault.    
Lewis huffed and turned to leave.    
It didn’t matter either way. He couldn’t be wrong, his whole reason for remaining, the betrayal and loss of it all, couldn’t be wrong, no matter how much his heart and evidence declared the contrary.    
Lewis couldn’t be wrong. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos and/or a comment if you enjoyed.


End file.
